smaller the discrepancy

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "smaller the discrepancy" is not correct in standard English.
It should be rephrased to "the smaller the discrepancy" to be grammatically accurate. Example: "The smaller the discrepancy between the two measurements, the more accurate the results will be."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

The smaller the discrepancy coefficient between two samples, the smaller the difference in species diversity Fig. 6 PCA of bacterial community structures of the gut microbiota in the two sample groups.

AMB Express

The smaller the discrepancy between Ultimatum Game proposal and Dictator Game proposal, the smaller the strategic component in making offers (see also Statistical Analyses).

Behavioral and Brain Functions

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

In Fig. 2, when p2 and n are small, the discrepancy between the models and the data gets larger, although the corrected modified ratio still outperforms the Taylor-series approach.

Journal of Statistical Distributions and Applications

However, based on the typical dimensions of the native form of the microsomes, the small discrepancy between the size increase and the HLM dimensions may be due to a solvent hydration shell and the heterogeneous size distribution of the AuNP-HLM incubation mixture [7, 26].

Nanoscale Research Letters

This can be the reason why the smallest discrepancy between the simulation and the experiment was observed in the x direction.

BioMed Research International

But the study concluded that "none of the three explanations explain more than a small share of the discrepancy" between the two sets of data.

The New York Times

This small difference causes the discrepancy in the estimated Moho parameters obtained using RF stacking analysis.

Earth, Planets and Space

Considering these two aspects, we employed 0.10 × 1011 electrons/m3 as the constraint strength because of relatively small smear and the discrepancy between the assumed and the recovered amplitudes.

Earth, Planets and Space

In theory, the effect of substrate and heating process has not been considered which we think is the reason for the small discrepancy between the theoretical and experimental data.

Nanoscale Research Letters

However, variable magnetic field Hall measurements and the quantitative mobility spectrum analysis [27] of the Hall data must be considered in order to distinguish the contribution of each channel though the analysis which may be further complicated as a result of the small discrepancy between the electron densities and the mobilities in the two channels [28].

Nanoscale Research Letters

Here, one can see that in the A-mode scan intensity profile of the small discrepancy between the EP/LP boundary and the depth of SD maximum (see Fig. 6(b)), the signal intensity fluctuations are relatively weaker, when compared with those in the A-mode scan intensity profile of large discrepancy (see Fig. 6(a)).

Biomedical Optics Express

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using comparative phrases like this, always include the definite article "the" before both comparatives (e.g., "the smaller, the better") for grammatical correctness. For example: "The smaller the discrepancy, the more accurate the results."

Common error

Avoid omitting the definite article "the" before the comparative adjectives. Saying "smaller the discrepancy" is grammatically incorrect; always use "the smaller the discrepancy".

Linguistic Context

The phrase, when corrected to "the smaller the discrepancy", functions as a comparative correlative. It expresses a relationship where one quantity varies in proportion to another. As Ludwig AI points out, the uncorrected version is grammatically flawed.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

66%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "smaller the discrepancy" might appear in various texts, it is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "the smaller the discrepancy", which functions as a comparative correlative to show a proportional relationship, according to Ludwig. As Ludwig AI explains, the phrase is better suited for formal and scientific contexts. Remember to include "the" for both comparatives to maintain grammatical accuracy. When corrected, this phrase helps convey that a decrease in the discrepancy leads to a predictable change in another factor. While the occurrences of the source text are rare, focusing on the corrected, grammatical form enhances clarity and credibility. Also remember to use alternative expressions if the context requires a more informal register.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

the smaller the difference

Replaces "discrepancy" with "difference" for a simpler term.

the less the variance

Substitutes "discrepancy" with "variance" focusing on statistical spread.

the lower the inconsistency

Replaces "discrepancy" with "inconsistency", emphasizing lack of uniformity.

the more negligible the gap

Uses "negligible gap" to describe a reduced difference.

the more reduced the deviation

Focuses on the reduction of "deviation" from a norm.

the slighter the disparity

Employs "slighter disparity" to indicate a minor difference.

the more minimal the divergence

Highlights the minimal nature of the "divergence".

the closer the agreement

Shifts focus to the increasing "agreement" as discrepancy diminishes.

the more aligned the results

Indicates that "results" are becoming more aligned, reducing discrepancy.

the more congruent the data

Uses "congruent data" to express that the information is more consistent.

FAQs

How do I correctly use "smaller the discrepancy" in a sentence?

The grammatically correct form is "the smaller the discrepancy". For example, "The smaller the discrepancy between the predicted outcome and the actual result, the better the model's accuracy."

What is a more grammatically sound alternative to "smaller the discrepancy"?

Alternatives include phrases like "the smaller the difference", "the lower the inconsistency", or "the more negligible the gap".

Is it acceptable to omit "the" before comparatives like in "smaller the discrepancy"?

No, it's generally not acceptable in standard English. The correct form is "the smaller, the..." to show the relationship between two variables. Omitting "the" makes the sentence grammatically incorrect.

What does it mean when we say "the smaller the discrepancy"?

It means that as the discrepancy (difference or inconsistency) decreases, some other related factor also changes proportionally. For instance, "the smaller the discrepancy between the budget and actual spending, the better the financial management".